Thinking of You
by Jack E. Peace
Summary: A short little story about Ana and Michael. Bad summary, I know, but...well, that about sums it up.


Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me. Really. As if there was any doubt. 

A/N: Once again, thanks for all the reviews, you guys are great. This story is in response to one kind reader's reviews; Enchanted Dreamer, this one's for you. Also, I know the events are a little different then what really happened, but bare with me. 

Everyone had someone. Weren't those the words to an old song? Ana couldn't remember, but she figured that there was at least one old song in the world with lyrics a little bit like that. Everyone had someone, or perhaps it was everyone _needed _someone. Either way, they were both true. These thoughts were going through Ana's head as she fixed herself a double cappuccino (with extra foam, just the way she had always loved but had always been unable to get at the stingy coffee places) from one of the machines in Hallowed Grounds, which were beginning to run on empty. From where she stood, pouring the hot liquid into the Styrofoam cup, she could see Nicole and Terry, the youngest of the survivors at Crossroads, were playing mall hockey, which he had invented a few days ago; Nicole was trying to swat the paperback book they were using as a puck while Terry was jokingly body checking her. It was clear, even to Ana, that they weren't interested so much in playing the game as they were in being near one another. 

Ana turned the machine off and shook her head at their antics, a smile on her face nonetheless. Some people managed to cope better with certain situations, she realized, putting a lid on her cup. But, then again, she figured she would join in their game is she had her own pattern to body check her. But that person was gone now. 

With a sigh, she tried to push thoughts about Louis from her mind for the moment; it would be no use in the long run, however, because her thoughts about Louis and her loneliness always came back to her during the night. 

The only person who managed to elevate those thoughts and feelings from her was Michael. Michael always managed to make her feel better, about everything, managed to make her laugh and smile, managed to make her forget where she was. Come to think of it, Ana could use a dose of Michael's jokes and smiles, where was he... 

Ana didn't have much time to ponder this thought because she barely had time to dodge the flying paperback book accidentally aimed her way but Nicole's broom, posing as a hockey stick. She jumped out of the way in time to avoid getting the book in the face, but her coffee cup wasn't so lucky; the book hit the cup dead on, knocking it to the floor, popping the lid off and spilling coffee across the tile. 

Nicole and Terry instantly stopped their game and looked at the blonde nurse with the wide-eyes of two teenagers who had broken their mother's favorite vase. A line from an old sitcom popped into her head, _Mom always said "don't play ball in the house"_ and Ana couldn't help but smile. _Mom always said don't play hockey in the mall. _

Nicole mistook Ana's humorous smile for one of enraged insanity and was quick to apologize. "I'm sorry, Ana, I didn't mean to...it was an accident." She said, offering a chastised smile. 

Ana waved her hand dismissively, feeling less upset then she had a right to be. "It's all right." She assured the two. It was after all, not that big of deal; perhaps it was just because she had Michael on the brain. "Hey, do you guys know where Michael is?" 

Terry nodded. "He's down in the basement, working on the trucks." He answered and Ana smiled a thank you. 

Deciding to abandon the pursuit of caffeine for the moment, Ana dropped a few napkins on the spill and headed toward the stairs that led to the basement level, otherwise known as the parking garage, of the mall. 

Walking down the stairwell always gave her chills, it reminded her of a haunted house with all sort of spooks waiting down below, and so Ana walked quickly, even going so far as to whistle to herself as she descending the stairs. 

She had just gotten to the chorus of the song she was whistling when Michael suddenly popped up in front of her, having rounded the corner just as she stepped off the last stair. Ana screamed in surprise and Michael took a step back, surprised by her reaction. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He apologized offering her a gentle smile that instantly put her at ease. "I just wanted to see who was whistling. _The Brady Bunch._" He added. 

Ana looked at him doubtfully. "What?" 

"_The Brady Bunch. _That's what you were humming." Michael clarified and Ana realized she had been, without even realizing it. "So, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" He said this with another smile, as though all his life he had wanted to say that phrase. 

Ana peeked behind him toward the nearly identical buses and saw that there had been some changes toward the sides since the last time she had seen them. Michael turned to follow her gaze and his sly smile turned into one of pride. "CJ and I have been doing some changes, trying to make them more zombie proof." He informed her. Ana nodded as she took in the buses, one with curls of barbed wire on the top and part of a bulldozer with spray painted teeth and hoped they were as safe as they looked. 

"Let me show you something." Michael said and grabbed her elbow, tugging her toward the first bus. Ana followed them, enjoying the feel of his warm skin against her elbow and feeling a little disappointed when he let go to open the door to the truck. "After you." He said with a gentlemanly flourish that made Ana smile as she entered the bus. She was already forgetting her earlier blues. 

The inside of the bus looked exactly the same as it had been, with the exception of a trio of red chainsaws laying on the floor. It was to these chainsaws that Michael directed her to; he knelt and grabbed the plastic hilt of one of them. "See, I figured we could use these in case one of the creatures gets on the side." He demonstrated by sticking the blade of the tool through thin slit that had been no doubt sawed into the side of the bus. 

Ana nodded appreciatively. "I think that's the most romantic thing anyone's ever shown me." She remarked truthfully. Michael put the saw but on the ground and turned back to face her, a serious look suddenly crossing his face. 

"I'm trying, you know." He mumbled, looking too lost for Ana's comfort. He was her rock, the only pillar of strength that she had most of the time; she didn't know what she'd do if he suddenly crumbled. 

Ana took a few steps nearer to Michael and locked eyes with him. "Believe me, you're doing more then trying." She assured him and now it was his turn to look at her doubtfully. "Half the time, I don't know what I'd do without you." She hadn't been that honest with anyone in a long time, not since she was in the seventh grade and told Billy Presley that she wanted to bare his children. That hadn't turned out too well, and she hoped that her more recent confessions wouldn't result in Michael calling her a freaky butt-face. 

Instead, Michael just smiled and look almost relieved. "Really?" He still looked doubtful, with an expression of uncertainty on his face that was much cuter then any expression Billy Presley had ever made. The boyish quality of his expression made Ana want to smile and she did so, nodding. "I've never had anyone depend on me before." He admitted, his face going serious once again. 

Ana reached out and took his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze; she opened her mouth to offer more words of assurance but when Michael looked at her, the words froze in her throat. His eyes were piercing and she felt like he could figure out everything about her just by giving her that single gaze, but looking at her with the deep eyes. For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her and even tilted her head in readiness but he spoke instead. 

"You said earlier, those weeks ago when we first got here, that you saw someone else turn into one of those _things _because of the bites. Who was it?" Michael questioned and threw Ana so off guard that she stepped back, her hand slipping from his. "It was someone close to you, wasn't it?" 

Ana studied him for a moment. "My husband." She confirmed. "How did you know?" She had taken her wedding ring off the second night at Crossroads and flushed it down the toilet during a fit of almost uncontrollable sorrow. It was something she regretting doing but wasn't quite sure why; her marriage to Louis was something that wasn't real anymore, and never would be again. 

"I can see it in your eyes." Michael eyes, looking into the feature that he spoke of. "The sorrow, the pain." He took a step toward her. "Eyes that beautiful shouldn't look so sad." Ana's heart skipped a beat, she hadn't felt that way since the seventh grade, breathless and ready to swoon. 

There was a beat of almost uncomfortable silence before Michael closed the gap between them and took her into his arms, kissing her before she had the chance to react. Ana began to react before she even realized what was going on, returning the kiss and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, pulling herself closer to him. 

Michael's fingers ran through her tangled hair, which seemed to fall easily through his fingers and Ana smiled through the kiss; she had always been ticklish near her scalp, something that Louis had found both strange and fascinating. 

Thinking about Louis made Ana stiffen and she broke the kiss, pulling away almost unconsciously; Michael looked at her with confusion on his face and she couldn't blame him. She hadn't wanted to break the kiss anymore then he had, yet it had happened and she felt almost guilty, an emotion she couldn't quite figure out. 

"What's the matter?" Michael question and the confusion turned to worry. Ana groped for the right words to describe what she was feeling but found herself at a loss. There was no way to put into words the pain that plagued her heart and the way Michael made it all go away. 

Ana dropped down into the driver's seat of the bus and sighed. "I don't know. I was thinking about Louis, my husband and how sometimes I hate him for what happened just because there's no one else to hate. And sometimes I miss him but most of the time I don't think about him at all. And that's what scares me." She whimpered, her words coming out in a rush, and she looked up at him hopelessly. "He was my husband, Michael, my _husband _but most of the time I'd rather think of you." Another confession she hadn't planned on making and wished that she could take back. 

Michael studied her for a long moment, filled with silence, deep eyes once again seeming to peer past the mask and armor she had built around herself since that dawn so many weeks ago. Finally, he only sighed. "I'm sorry that I kissed you, Ana, that was selfish of me. I could tell that you weren't ready, that you were still hurting over losing your husband." He mumbled, turned to go but then turned back around to face her. "You know what, I'm not sorry." Ana could feel her eyes growing slightly wider at his words. "I think you're an amazing woman, Ana, you're smart and beautiful and a lot stronger then I ever could be and I'm not sorry that I kissed you. The only think I am sorry about is that it might be the last time I ever get to kiss you." 

Ana was at a loss of what to say; those things he had just said to her, no one had ever said anything like that to her. She wanted to say those things to Michael but it seemed more fitting to stand, go over to him and kiss him again, which was exactly what she did. Her actions caught Michael off guard but he quickly recovered, wrapping his arms around her waist and shoulders, pulling her against him. 

"I'm definitely thinking about you now." Ana whispered breathlessly in the seconds the kiss was broken. She didn't give Michael a chance to respond before kissing him again, to which he didn't protest. 

With Michael, it was easy for Ana to forget everything, everything that had happened and would happen. She was glad she had come looking for him. 


End file.
